1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to burglar bars mountable over window and door openings in buildings, and more particularly pertains to a new and improved burglar bar assembly which may be quickly manually released from an interior portion of a building without the necessity of utilizing keys to effect such release.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of quick release guards on door and window openings is known in the prior art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,019,281, which issued to R. Weiler on Apr. 26, 1977, discloses a quick release window guard essentially comprising an exteriorly mounted steel grating. The grating includes the use of metal bars which are bent rearwardly and which are secured to a building so that the grating overlies a window opening to thus protect against illegal building entry. The grating is hingedly connected to the building, and a hidden lock mechanism actuated by a cable may be operated to effect an opening of the grating to thus permit a rapid egress from the building through the window. As will be noted when reviewing this patent however, the construction of the hidden lock mechanism is essentially complex and requires its positioning within cross bars forming a part of the grating. Additionally, a hidden internal cable directed through such cross bars results in the construction of a grate assembly requiring a substantial expense of manufacture.
Another patent of interest relating to releasable window guards is U.S. Pat. No. 4,070,048, which issued to T. Young on Jan. 24, 1978. The Young device comprises a protective guard for ground floor windows of a dwelling and essentially consists of a metallic grid network releasably secured to an exterior edge of a window frame. A pull-out pin installed on an interior end of a bolt is held in position by a compressed, helical spring situated between the frame and pin. The pin may be forcibly urged out of engagement by the spring, thus to effect a release of the bolt that then results in the window guard being easily removed from the window opening. While this patent discloses a guard which is functional for its intended purpose, it will be noted that the design of the release mechanism is essentially complex and specialized, thus to result in an expense of manufacture which is prohibitive.
Accordingly, it can be appreciated that there is a continuing need for new and improved quickly releasable window and door guards which are of a simple and inexpensive design while being efficiently and reliably operable. In this respect, the present invention substantially fulfills this need.